The present invention is generally related to food service stations and, more particularly, is related to food service stations that have an adjustable food guard that has moveable and rotatable brackets.
Generally, a food guard is used to protect food that is to be served from a food service station. The food guard protects the food from contamination from the breath of customers that are requesting or self-serving food from a fast food bar, cafeteria food bar, or other similar food bar. Generally, a food service station includes a food service line or counter that includes some or all of the following: hot or cold food pans, soup wells, chafing dishes, and a breath protection device or sneeze guard. The food guard is typically attached to the food service counter. The food guard is positioned to protect the food from airborne bacteria, contaminants, the breath, sneeze, or cough of customers. The food guard has a transparent shield made of glass or other material, which is attached to a support structure. The shield can be moved into various positions to ensure protection of the food, while also allowing the necessary accessibility.
In order for a food guard to be effective, it must intersect what is considered the xe2x80x9cbreath zonexe2x80x9d. This zone is determined by 1) constructing an imaginary vertical line from the front edge of a serving counter up to a height of about 4xe2x80x2-6xe2x80x3 and about 5xe2x80x2-6xe2x80x3 from the floor and 2) constructing an imaginary line from the 4xe2x80x2-6xe2x80x3 intersection to the front edge of the food zone and 3) constructing an imaginary line from the 5xe2x80x2-6xe2x80x3 height to the rear edge of the food zone. The food zone is the area that exposed food will be displayedxe2x80x94generally a food pan, soup well, chafing dish, or similar device that is set back about 3xe2x80x3 to about 6xe2x80x3 from the front edge of the counter. A glass shield must intersect the breath zone in order to prevent the contamination of food from airborne bacteria from the breath of customers.
In general, food guards are used for different applications in a number of different circumstances. One circumstance involves using the food guard in an attendant-serving mode. In this mode, the customer is restricted from being able to touch or reach the food by way of a transparent shield, which can be in any of a multiple of configurations. However, the attendant can hand the food to the customer over the top of the food guard or under the guard if there is enough clearance between the food guard and the counter of the food serving device. Another circumstance in which a food guard can be used is in a self-serve mode. Here, the shield of the food guard is angled or positioned so that a customer can serve himself food through the clearance between the shield and the food service device. The shield still provides protection from contamination from the breath of the customer because it is positioned so as to intersect the xe2x80x9cbreath zone.xe2x80x9d The angle of the shield may need to be varied depending on the position of the food in the food serving station and the customer. Food that is farther away from the customer requires sufficient clearance between the shield and the food service station to enable access to the food. Therefore, depending on the circumstance, more or less clearance may be needed to allow accessibility, while maintaining xe2x80x9cbreath zonexe2x80x9d coverage. In addition, different degrees of accessibility are often needed from meal to meal and from event to event thereby requiring a food guard that is adjustable.
Generally, the shield of currently used food guards are in a fixed non-adjustable position (e.g., in the vertical or angled position). The disadvantage to this arrangement is that different types of food guards are required for different serving circumstances, thereby increasing costs considerably. However, other food guards have shields that are adjustable into different positions. Generally, in order to rotate the shield these types of food guards require the operator to loosen a plurality of mechanical fasteners. While the fasteners are in the loosened state, the operator or another must support the shield so it does not fall. When the shield is positioned at the required angle the fasteners must be tightened. This process often requires two operators to adjust the angle of the shield (e.g., one operator holding the shield while the second operator is adjusting the fasteners), thereby requiring more man-power, slowing the process, and increasing costs. In addition, the shield must be positioned properly to protect the food and the aforementioned food guards do not lend themselves to easy positioning.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.
The present invention provides an apparatus and method of using an adjustable food guard. One embodiment of the present invention provides a food serving station that includes a food serving device and an adjustable food guard apparatus. The food guard apparatus includes at least one adjustable bracket that includes a bracket slot, wherein the bracket slot includes at least one lock slot. In addition, the food guard apparatus includes at least one of vertical-mounting member that includes a plurality of pivot pins, where the pivot pins are capable of engaging the bracket. Also, the bracket is capable of adjustment from a first position into at least one second position using the pivot pins. The pivot pins are capable of engaging the bracket via the bracket slot. Further, the pivot pins are capable of sliding within the bracket slot and the pivot pins are capable of reversibly locking into the second position using the lock slot.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides an adjustable food guard apparatus. The adjustable food guard apparatus includes at least one bracket that includes a bracket slot, wherein the bracket slot includes at least one lock slot. In addition, the food guard apparatus includes at least one vertical-mounting member, which includes a plurality of pivot pins. The pivot pins are capable of engaging the bracket. The bracket is capable of adjustment from a first position into at least one second position using the pivot pins. The pivot pins are capable of engaging the bracket via the bracket slot. In addition, the pivot pins are capable of sliding within the bracket slot. The pivot pins are capable of reversibly locking into the second position using the lock slot.
A further embodiment provides a method of converting a food service station from an attendant-serving food station to a self-serving food station. The method includes providing an adjustable food guard apparatus that can be moved from a vertical position to an angled position. The adjustable food guard apparatus includes a first bracket that includes a first bracket slot. The first bracket slot includes at least one first lock slot. In addition, the adjustable food guard apparatus includes a first vertical-mounting member. The first vertical-mounting member includes a plurality of first pivot pins that are capable of engaging the first bracket. The first bracket is capable of adjustment from the vertical position into at least one second position using the first pivot pins, which are capable of engaging the first bracket via the first bracket slot. The first pivot pins are capable of sliding within the first bracket slot and are capable of reversibly locking into the angled position using the first lock slot. The adjustable food guard apparatus also includes a second bracket. The second bracket includes a second bracket slot, where the second bracket slot includes at least one second lock slot. In addition, the adjustable food guard apparatus includes a second vertical-mounting member. The vertical-mounting member includes a plurality of second pivot pins that are capable of engaging the second bracket. The second bracket is capable of adjustment from the vertical position into at least one second position using the second pivot pins. The pivot pins are capable of engaging the second bracket via the second bracket slot. The second pivot pins are capable of sliding within the second bracket slot and the second pivot pins are capable of reversibly locking into the angled position using the second lock slot. The adjustable food guard apparatus also includes a shield that is engaged to the first bracket and the second bracket. The adjustable food guard apparatus is moved from the vertical position by moving the adjustable food apparatus in the upward direction and sliding the first bracket via the first bracket slot along the first pivot pin of the first vertical-mounting member. This is done so that the first pivot pin is engaged with the first lock slot and sliding the second bracket via the second bracket slot along the second pivot pin of the second vertical-mounting member so that the second pivot pin is engaged with the second lock so that the adjustable food guard apparatus is in the angled position.
Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.